Mass transport, carrier structure types

The volume of the laser ablation sample cell, the geometry, the type of carrier gas and its flow pattern, and the tubing properties of the transfer line to transport the aerosol into the ICP are all together important factors that contribute to the total transport process and the transient signal structure. The transport efficiency of laser-induced particles therefore restricts the detection ca-pabihties for laser ablation microanalysis. Any enhancement in the transport process will make it possible to decrease the laser spot size and still detect a signal from the ablated mass, and therefore wih lead to an increase of the spatial resolution that can be successfully used for laser ablation. 

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